The present invention is concerned with a method and a composition for treating burns, scalds and other skin affections having similar effects on the skin.
When the skin has been exposed to strong heat, caused by fire, scalds, contact with hot articles or exaggerated exposure to the sun, a patho-physiological process is started by the organism itself, and this process is the cause of progressively increasing damages occurring during the first four to seven hours or, in severe cases, even up to 24 hours after the exposure of the skin to the action of heat. These damages involve erythema of the skin, in the case of first degree burn, blisters in the case of second degree burn, and damaged tissue at a deeper level described as third degree burn, which may be associated according to the severity with oedema of a superficial or deep nature, and in severe cases with reduction of blood pressure, toxicity and shock.
Hitherto, the most effective means to prevent or to substantially inhibit these secondary consecutive symptoms of acute burns has been the immersion of the involved body part into standing water of a temperature not exceeding 25.degree.C.; in this treatment, the immersion of the burned part of the body should be maintained as long as the spontaneous pain persists (cfr. Modern Treatment, Vol. 4, No. 6, November 1967). However, the water treatment suffers from some rather serious drawbacks. Firstly, it is not always as effective as would be desirable. Secondly, the layman does not have too much faith in the effectiveness of a simple water treatment, for which reason a large proportion of burns and scalds which could have been treated by the water treatment with some beneficial result is left untreated; thirdly, the water used may not be as sterile as necessary to ensure that no infections with organisms originating from the water are incurred in addition to the burning or scalding. Fourthly, not all burnt parts of the body can in practice be immersed in water for a long period of time, and fifthly, standing water of the necessary purity and of the suitable temperature is not always easily available for treatment immediately after the burning has occurred, e.g. in the case of car accidents in deserted localities. Accordingly, a remedy in the form of an easily handled and easily applicable preparation for effective, immediate treatment and use at home, at work, and, e.g. for having available at an easily accessable place in the car, would be highly desirable.